Driftless Glen Single Barrel Straight Bourbon

AGE // 5 Years BARREL # // 2289 NEAT NOSE - Cherries, Caramel, Honey PALATE - Thin mouthfeel, but very flavorful. Caramel is the most dominant note supported by the cherry and honey for an incredibly easy sipper. FINISH - Pretty short unfortunately but there is absolutely no burn. BUY? - Yes! These are very scarce where I live and I was happy to stumble across this one. I hope to find it at cask strength one day. For now, its a definite buy. I got this for $45. This would be in my top 10 for bourbons to recommend for beginners because of the drinkability and sweet flavor profile. However, from reading some other people’s tasting notes, it seems like these barrels vary in flavor quite a bit from one another. BUY AGAIN?? - At this price point, how could I not?

2022 Total Wine Single Barrel Pick Appears as burnt honey with oily legs clinging to the glass. Smell: Cherry licorice, vanilla, ethanol sensation but pleasant red fruit, strawberry cheesecake, sweet. Palate: Primarily grain, dry, honey without the sweetness or fruit anticipated from the aroma. Distinct oak and burnt cereal notes, reminiscent of roasted Honey Nut Cheerios. Finish: Quite brief, a little pepper, some bitterness. Overall: 3/5, the aroma was the most enjoyable aspect. The taste was adequate once the expectation of fruit and sweetness from the aroma was dismissed, but the finish left an unwelcome bitter aftertaste.

A ruddy copper hue. The nose presents Tahitian vanilla and cinnamon sugar, alongside blueberry jam, marzipan, and freshly baked bread, with undertones of citrus and spearmint tea. The mouthfeel is quite thin, almost bubbly, but it's exceptionally easy to drink as a summer beverage. The palate features cinnamon and bubble gum flavors initially, followed by grassy rye spice, cherry cola, burnt cinnamon stick, chocolate malt balls, and boiled peanuts. The finish is of medium duration, dominated by more of the bubble gum note and rye spice, along with black tea and hints of peanuts, cocoa, and barrel char.

From a specific collection, aged 41 months, from barrel 1558, at 118.6 proof. This is certainly potent, with noticeable ethanol but it's well handled. On the nose, expect notes of cedar, vanilla, overripe fruit, and tea. The palate mirrors this but includes cinnamon and a rye kick. The finish is as expected for a high proof rye: long and intense. It's a bit pricey for what it is, but it shines best when used in an Old Fashioned as a high proof rye.

The aroma is quite appealing, with notes of circus peanuts, caramel, vanilla, and some baking spice. The palate has a vegetal quality, something green, but it's not unpleasant. More vanilla and caramel are present. The finish offers peanut, fudge, and spice. An above-average pour that isn't quite suited for sipping neat but would perform well in cocktails.

Vanilla, spicy, light honey, and a hint of oak. It was bought at the distillery. This is a young company, and the whiskey has only been aged for 31 months. The early stages of aging are slightly detectable, but it tastes better than its age would suggest. Being bottled at 96 proof helped prevent the tasting notes from a young whiskey. I'm eager to see what the future holds with more mature bourbons. It's definitely worth trying.